What If Anakin Never Turned To The Dark Side?
by Padme Dakini
Summary: What if Anakin realized Palpatine was lying to him about the ability to save people from dying? How would that have changed things?


It was over. The Seperatists were dead.  
Anakin looked around the room where they lay, some with their eyes open in terror, their mouths still frozen in screams of agony. He shook his head, trying to steady his knees which were still shaking in hatred. All of the Seperatists, all of the leaders who had each individually hurt his beloved Padme, were bleeding and dying in torment.  
And then he fell to his knees and screamed. Screamed in fear and relief. Screamed out all of his frustration at the Jedi Council, anger at the Seperatists, and hatred for the Sith. Then his eyes regained their beautiful, sky blue hue and he breathed a sigh of release.  
Now full of hope, Anakin reurned to Palpatine for instruction on how to save his precious angel.

"Good, Anakin, good," Palpatine grinned evilly through his wizened gums, "I have just one more order for you: execute Order 66. I want you to wipe out the Jedi and all they hold dear."  
Anakin was shocked. Suddenly, he saw how Palpatine was using his love for Padme as a tool- a tool to destroy everything he loved and cherished- a tool to destroy all that he had suffered and fought for throughout his entire life! But he pretended to be a meek and humble servant in order to get out of the room alive.  
"I will do thy bidding, my master," he murmured, bowing, and he left the room in one piece.  
Anakin knew what he had to do. As soon as he was out of Palpatine's sensory range, he turned on his comm and spoke to Padme.  
"Anakin! Thank God you're well! What's wrong? I felt your sorrow earlier this evening..." she cried.  
"Starlight, I'll have to tell you later. Right now, though, we must move fast, or all is lost!" Anakin spoke in a hurried tone, his feet moving as fast as his words.  
"I'm all ears." She replied, preparing herself for what she would hear next.  
"Palpatine is the sith lord we have been looking for all along. He just ordered me to destroy the Jedi and the Temple." Anakin began.  
Padme gasped and sat down. "Anakin? What are you going to do?"  
"I am going to warn everyone, rally the Jedi, and die for the Temple if it comes to that. You must tell all of the senators to prepare to vote the chancellor out of office. Just promise me you won't move from where you are until I come get you. Understand?" Anakin instructed in a frantic voice.  
"I promise, Ani. May the Force be with you." Padme vowed.  
"And with you, also, my one true love. Always." Anakin shut of the comm and leapt in his speeder.  
He sped to the Temple, faster than he ever had before. He was releaved to see that he had beaten the troops to the front door. He was met by Yoda and Obi-Wan at the door.  
Obi-Wan was surprised to see him. "Anakin? I thought-"  
"You were right, Master." Anakin said with a bowed head, "And I did kill the Seperatists. But when Palpatine ordered me to destroy the Temple, I realized he had decieved me the whole time. No one can save Padme from my dreams, but I can try to save my Brothers and Sisters in the Force."  
Obi-Wan was taken aback by his Jedi brother's selfless speech. "Anakin- I do admit I'm surprised- you appear to have grown up."  
Anakin managed a choked laugh before Yoda spoke up.  
"Hurry, we must, if save the Temple, we will." He said, pointing in the direction of the Temple's comm towers. "Go to the speakers, Skywalker will; warn the Jedi, he must."  
Anakin Force-jumped to the top of the Towers and sounded the alarm. All of the Jedi were armed and ready when the clone troopers arrived at their doorstep. With the element of surprise and pre-planned strategy, the Jedi easily took out their former comrades-in-arm.  
Cheering in relief, the Jedi were about to celebrate when who should show up on their doorstep but Anakin's clone- identical to him in every way except for his acid yellow eyes and evil sneer on his lips.  
A circle formed around Anakin and his clone.  
"Fool Skywalker! You could have been prince of the galaxies!" Jeered the clone, "I am none other than Darth Incredulous, and I shall slay you today to establish my glory and empire!"  
"It is you who is the fool, Incredulous," Anakin returned, igniting his saber, "If you think you are to slay me, you are sadly mistaken."  
"You speak truth; why should I slay you?" Incredulous leered, "Join me, and we can rule, brothers of the same face! We are more powerful than the Emperor; we can overthrow him! And from there we can make the galaxy the place it should be."  
"I'll never join you." Anakin hissed, advancing.  
"Then you will die, Jedi!" Incredulous, laughing evilly, ignited his saber and leapt at Anakin, screaming wildly.  
Anakin had never before encountered such a strong fighter. He found himself equalled by his clone; he was his own worst enemy. Each stab was met with a stab, each stroke was blocked, each jump was met with equal vigor until both men were battered, bleeding, and battle-worn.  
Then Anakin and his clone tried to push each other back with the Force, and Anakin was finally able to overpower his clone. The Light and Dark Side energies clashed between their palms, and Anakin and his clone winced as the pressure mounted quickly.  
Then Anakin thought of Padme, and their baby, and how much he needed to make sure their child would grow up free. Then he experienced power he had never had before, and suddenly his clone was thrust backwards, flipping uncontrollably backwards, and fell on his neck against the Temple engraving of Nicada del Gormo himself. Dead before he hit the floor, the clone fell awkwardly at Nicada's feet, his acid yellow eyes still wide open in pain and shock.  
Then Obi-Wan began to clap. Then Yoda. And Depa Bilapa. Soon the whole Temple erupted in cheers and whistles as Anakin, bloody and weary from his fight, fell to his knees in exhaustion, laughing in pain and relief.  
As soon as the clapping had reached its peak, a youngling pointed to the door in horror and screamed, "Look! It's the sith apprentice's master!"  
Dead silence. Obi-Wan nodded at Anakin, and the two ignited their lightsabers and dashed to the front of the Temple to meet the evil Palpatine.  
Cackling evilly, Palpatine shakes his head. "Fool Jedi! To think any number of you could defeat my new Empire!"  
"Empire? There is no empire." Anakin shouted, "The Senate voted against your rule."  
"Oh, I think they did- after I took your wretched wife prisoner and began to torture her, they all voted in my favor." Palpatine grinned widely.  
Anakin was about to give in to his hate when Obi-Wan replied, "The Sith rely on fear and torture where the Jedi rely on the Force alone," Obi-Wan nodded at Anakin and smiled, "Take him from my left, I'll circle around behind him."  
This time one with the Force in mind and body, Anakin was able to cool his rage and obey his master's command. Within seconds, thanks to Obi-Wan's strategy and Anakin's obidience, Palpatine was on his knees, wildly shooting lightning in a last attempt to win the fight.  
"Only I can save the one you love!" Palpatine screamed as his own lightning, richoeted from both Jedi's sabers, consumed his already injured body.  
"LIAR!" yelled Anakin, and finished him off with his lightsaber.  
Then, exhausted from the two hardest battles of his life, Anakin fell to his knees, then side, unconsious.

Anakin awoke in a hospital, met by a smiling Obi-Wan. Opening his eyes wider, he saw the whole Jedi council (except for Mace Windu, of course) were in his room. Laughing, he reached out and took Obi-Wan's hand to help himself sit up. "What's going on? Am I dead?" He joked.  
"No, no, Anakin, you're not dead." Obi-Wan chuckled, "None of us are, thanks to you."  
"Oh, really, master, you seriously helped me out a lot in that last fight." Anakin replied gravely.  
Yoda, now Great Master of the Jedi, announced, "Voted to make you Jedi Master, council did."  
Anakin gasped, "A- a real Jedi Master? Me?!" Looking back at Obi-Wan, he asked, "If I'm not dead, then am I dreaming?"  
Obi-Wan laughed, "You're not dreaming either, Anakin. After you meet your new children, you are due back at the Temple to be made master- officially. Anakin, where are you going?"  
Anakin had dashed out of the room at the speed of the light.

The medical droid handed Anakin the second twin, "It's a girl." It announced.  
"Let's name her Ani," Padme laughed.  
"Ha ha," Anakin rejoined, "Please, something else..."  
"What about Adriana, after my grandmother? She taught me everything I know about Senate." Padme smiled in rememberance.  
"That's beautiful. Adriana it is." Anakin smiled. "What about the boy?"  
"Jinn. You told me you always wanted a son named Jinn." His wife replied.  
"Hello, little Jinn," Anakin whispered, as the newborn opened his sky blue eyes for the first time, "I'm going to make sure you hear all about your namesake."  
"Hello? May I come in?" a familiar voice asked at the door.  
Anakin almost dropped young Jinn in surprise. "M-master Qui-Gon?"  
A smiling Master Jinn entered into the young family's room. "Did I miss anything while I was gone?"  
Confused, Anakin stammered, "B-but Master! Th-there was a funeral pire, a-and..."  
"I made Obi-Wan vow to keep my secret- that I was still alive, but in critical condition. He came often to visit me on Mustafar and give me much-needed supplies." Master Jinn replied.  
"That's where he was going!" Anakin gasped in astonishment.  
Master Jinn nodded, "Yes. A loyal friend, Obi-Wan is- just as you are to him." He smiled a knowing smile. "I was there, you know- for the whole fight. But I knew I could not interfere. After you left Mustafar, I stowed on your ship to make my return to Coruscant. Yoda and the Council have agreed to let me finally join the council. And our first act was to make marriage legal to the Jedi."  
You could hear Anakin's jaw clatter as it hit the floor. "Whaa...?"  
"The whole Temple witnessed how your love for Padme helped you win both battles against the sith. Therefore, love must not be such a bad thing for a Jedi to have, eh?" Master Jinn raised an impressed eyebrow at Anakin, "You made me proud, my boy- proud of the man you have become, not just of the brave Jedi you have become. By killing the sith, you brought balance to the Force and peace to the galaxy. You have fulfilled your destiny as the Chosen One."  
Anakin bowed his head and smiled at his mentor's praise. "What do you wish me to do now, Master Jinn?"  
"For now? Enjoy your new family," he smiled his warm smile only he could smile, "Then come to the Temple to be made Master Skywalker." He turned to leave, then stopped. "And Anakin?"  
"Master?" Anakin asked.  
"Anakin, I am your father." Master Jinn said slowly.  
Before Anakin could react, he was gone.

"In the name of the council, the Whills, and the Force, I dub thee, Master Skywalker of the Republic." Yoda said, tapping Anakin on both shoulders with his saber, finishing with a gesture to the top of Anakin's head. "Rise, Master Anakin Cleevon Skywalker, Chosen One of the Force."  
The council cheered.  
Master Jinn smiled, "Today that part of the Prophecy has been fulfilled."  
Anakin, leaving the crowd of cheering Jedi Masters, inquired, "How much more of the Prophecy is there?"  
Master Jinn chuckled, "Anakin, you have your whole life ahead of you. And your whole life was prophesized. So there is a lot more of the Prophecy that you have yet to fulfill. But do not be overwhelmed; just live your life and fulfill the prophecy you will."  
Anakin smiled, "Master? You said- you said you were my father?"  
Master Jinn smiled, "Yes, Anakin, I am your father. Your mother made me promise not to tell you until we won the Battle of Naboo, but I was critically injured and went into hiding to cecuporate and meditate."  
Tears streaming down both men's cheeks, the two hugged and murmured their love and dedication to each other, and how much they'd missed each other.

"Is that whole story true?" gasped Adriana, sitting on her mother's knee at the Skywalkers' beautiful lake retreat in Naboo.  
"Every word of it is true," smiled Padme, as Siri, Obi-Wan's wife, arrived with the drinks.  
"Wow, Grandpa Qui-Gon!" Little Jinn grinned, his wide, Skywalker grin he had inheirited from his grandfather, "One day, I want to become a true Jedi master, like you, Master Kenobi, and my dad!"  
Master Qui-Gon smiled at Anakin and his little family.  
The Force was balanced, and all was right in the galaxy far, far away.


End file.
